Improvement w tire-tighteners



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Patented Feb. Z'O, 1877.

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ATTORNEYS N- PETERS, PHDTILUTHOGRAFNER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

MILOl OSBORN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT 1N TIR-E-TIGHTENERS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. l 37,552., dated February 20,1877; application tiled January 26, 1877.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILo OsBoRN, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Tighteners; and I do hereby declare the following to 'ne a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains, to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tiretighteners5 and consists, principally, in a combination of devices, as hereinafter fully described and claimed, whereby the grasping oi' the spoke and the expanding or pushing out of the felly are performed simultaneously by one and the same operation.

In the drawing, Figure l represents a perspective view oi' a tire-tightener embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the eccentric clamp. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the clamp-tightener. Fig. 6 shows a separate view of the expanding-bar.

A represents the retaining-frame, which embraces two pieces, each like the other. It serves to retain the several parts in position, as will be seen by reference to the drawing. Each part oi' said frame A is provided with slots a a, b and elongated eyes c c. B is an adjusting strap or band, which passes through slots' b, and is provided at each end with a suitable stop to prevent it from being withdrawn. Itis so arranged that it can be lengthened or shortened by being wound or unwound on areel or bar, to accommodate varyingsi'zes or breadths of wheels. This lengthening or shortening may, however, be accomplished in any other suitable manner. This band or strap acts also in the nature of a hinge when the device is unloosened or put together. U C are the expanding-bars, which consist of the screw-threaded shank d and cross-piece f. Said cross-piece is provided with offsets at g, thus forming the studs or projections h h', one of which carries the retaining or locking-piece z'. The latter is constructed of such a size as will permit it to pass freely through the slots a, but will be prevented from returning when the expandingbar C is moved to either side from its position when the locking piece 'i is inserted. The stud or projection h lits into the corresponding slot of the opposite frame-piece from that through which locking-piece z' is inserted. D 'D are the eccentric clamps, each provided with two claws, k 7c, and lock projections L L, which latter have also the function of pivots, and are placed eccentric-ally to the curved line ol' the surface D'. The tongue or locking projection proper of one ol' said pivots and projections L extends in an opposite direction from that of the other or opposite locking projection, so as to prevent the unlocking of` said clamp from both plates of the retainingframe at the same time, since the elongationV ofthe eyes o is in the same direction in both plates. The same result can, ot' course, be secured by changing the direction of the elongation of the eyes in. the one plate, and constructing the locking pojections of the eccentric clamp to project both in the same direc-` tion.

E Eare the clamp-tighteners, which slide freely on the shank of the expanding-bars O. Each is provided with a feather, t, which tits into the longitudinal groove m of the screw-V shank ot' bar C, and prevent the turning or revolving of the same, so that its studs or projections n may always be in the proper position relative to the eecentric clamps D. This arrangement of feather and groove is,

however, not an essential element of my invention, and may, if desired, be dispensed with. Neither do I confine myself to the partieular form ot' the clamp-tightener shown, since that is not material. H is retaining washer or movable stop to prevent the clamp-- tightener from passing oi' the shank of the bar O. Gr G are the tightening and expanding nuts, which lit on the screw-threaded shanks of the expanding-bars C, and to which theV power is applied to tighten the hold of the device on the spoke and to expand or push out the felly. I Iare the spoke-clamps,

preferably constructed ot' Wood, and provided with a groove, corresponding to the curvature or form of the-spoke. Said clamps may be lined with any soft material, if desired, as-

inay also, all other parts `,of the device which necessarily come in direct contact with the wheel operated upon.

The operation of the device is as follows:

2 remise placed in position, so that the studs or pro-` jections It and the lock-projections L of the expanding-har and eccentric clamp, respectively, pass through the slots and elongated eyes of the frame-plate. The adjusting strap or band B, connecting' the two plates of the retaining-frame, is on the outside of the tire of the wheel, and Aserves to keep the studs or projections of the expanding-bar i-n the slots The shoulders g on the of the frame-piece. bars C prevent the frame or rather the two parts of the retaining-frame from coming together, so asy to secure a free operation of' the several parts. When the lock projections L have been passed through the elongated eyes of the frame-piece the eccentric clamps are turned to lock the same. In this position the l radius from the cent-er of the eccentricallyplaced pivot and lock projection to the curvedv surface of the eccentric clamp is shortest. The spoke-clamps I are now applied to the spoke, and being wedge-shaped, are tightly wedged between said eccentric clamps. Power is now applied to the twoy tightening and expanding-nuts G, and as they move outward they carry with them the clamp-tighteners E, which latter, acting on the claws of the eccentric clamps D, force said claws outward, whereby the pressure on the spoke-clamps is increased, by reason of the greater radius from the center ofthe eccentrically-placed pivots L-to that part of the curved surface of the clamps D now in contact with the spokeclamps.

In proportion as the said claws move outward, the said radius increases, and, therefore, also the pressure on the spoke-clamps I. At the same time, or as soon as the resistance offered by the clamps to the outward movement of the nuts is greater than the resistance offered by the felly, the expanding-bars C begin to move outward, and to act on the felly to expand the same. Either the eccen- .tric clamp or felly is moved as the resistance offered by the one is greater than that offered by the other; or both are moved at the same time if the resistance is equal.

When the felly has been expanded to the required extent, the space thus formed between the shoulder ofthe spoke and the felly is filled with a shim or split washer, which keeps the felly expanded against the tire when the tire-tightener is removed, and prevents any friction between the. spoke and felly.

To remove the tire-tightener, the nuts G are loosened, and then the spoke-clamps I are removed, which can be done as the pressure on the same has been relieved by the loosening of the nuts, after which the eccentricv clamp D is turned to its unlocked position, which permits the frame-plate to be turned back so as to allow the tightener .to be removed. Itis then applied 'to any other spoke, it' necessary, and the operation repeated.

Instead of constructing the eccentric clamp with claws, said part of the clamp may be made solid, and provided with an opening through which the shank of the expandingbar C may pass, said opening being made sufficiently large to allow for the movement of clamp on its pivots.

In this case the clamp-tightener E may be dispensed with, as the nuts G will thenl act directly on the eccentric clamp D. A

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is-

l. In a tire-tightener, the eccentric clamps D, which serve to fasten the tightener to the spoke and to expand the felly, substantially as described.

2. [n a tire-tightener, the eccentric clamps D, which serve to fasten the tightener to the spoke and to expand the felly, in combination with the retaining-frame, substantially as described.

3. The eccentric clamps D and retainingframe, in combination with the expandingv bars C, substantially -as and for the purpose described.

4. rIhe eccentric clamps D and retainingframe, in combination with the expandingbars G and tightening and expanding nutsv Gr, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The eccentric clamps D and retainingframe, in combination with the expandingbars G, tightening and expanding nuts G, and spoke-clamps I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The eccentric clamps D and retainingframe, in combination with the expandingbars C, tightening and expanding nuts G, and clamp-tightener E, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. Ihe combination of the retaining-frame A and adjusting-strap B with the expandingbars C, eccentric clamps D, clamp-tightener E, tightening and expanding nuts Gr, and spoke-clamps I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a tire-tightener, the adjusting strap or band B, connecting the plates of the retaining-frame, and allowing the same to be adjusted for wheels of varying breadth, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MILO OSBORN. Witnesses:

FRANCIS ToUMEY, WM. BEHRENs. 

